Digital Marketing News: Who Really Won the Super Bowl?

Every week we’re collecting a host of links, videos, and assorted analysis on the ever-changing world of digital marketing. We invite you to skim, share, analyze, argue, and refute – just so long as you don’t get embarrassed at the water cooler again. Here are the latest digital marketing news and trends for the week of February 8, 2019.

What the Franchising World Should Know About Voice Search

One noticeable theme of the always-hyped Super Bowl ads was the prevalence of  digital assistants and voice-activated devices. It was yet another sign that these devices are entering the mainstream, and businesses should be prepared to connect with consumers through these devices. Franchise businesses, especially, need to know how to harness the power of a voice search strategy.

Location3 Sr. Director of Marketing Josh Allen recently shared his thoughts with Franchising USA Magazine on how voice search is changing the digital marketing landscape. In the post, Allen gives insight on:

• How consumers are using voice-activated devices
• How local businesses can connect with user voice searches
• How voice search affects e-commerce and product sales

Here’s an excerpt from the post:

“The aforementioned eMarketer study from December 2018 notes that the three voice-activated actions taken most often by users on smart speakers are listening to music (79.8%), searching for information (73%) and shopping online (37.1%).  While companies like Apple are building their devices around the music experience, the latter two statistics have companies like Google and Amazon innovating and competing for consumer attention.”

Which Brand Won the Super Bowl?

The lure of the Super Bowl is partly the spectacle beyond the game: the parties, food, halftime show, and of course, the commercials. The office on Monday is more likely to discuss the best ads than the crucial third-down conversion. But Greg Jarboe at Search Engine Journal asks an interesting question: Which brand (not ad) won the Super Bowl?

According to USA Today, the most popular ad was the NFL’s “100-Year Game” spot that featured some of the the sport’s most notable stars, past and present, playing an impromptu game in the middle of a formal celebration.

Jarboe notes that somewhere along the line, ad creators stopped producing ads that pushed their brand forward and started producing ads that drove office discussion. And even that environment has changed as “Super Bowl ads” start rolling out weeks before the big game. When we consider modern marketing metrics, here are the brands that Jarboe said were the true winners:

Amazon 

Marvel

Google

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJopp9RlPJc

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Takeaways from SMX West

One of the premier search marketing events took place in San Jose last week. SMX West, a two-day event, included a session on “The New Realities of Local Search.” Local search guru Greg Sterling attended the session and shared his reactions and insights. Here are a few of his takeaways:

Local ranking factors: Google My Business signals continue to be the most important factor in local search rankings, and the value of local features like Google Posts lies in their ability to enhance those signals.

Google Posts: Don’t forget to create fresh content for Google Posts. Not only do these posts boost GMB signals, but they also convert customers at a relatively high rate while also building trust with consumers.